Display stands are typically used to store and display product in both refrigerated and non-refrigerated environments. Such display stands usually comprise a base, a plurality of vertical support members or posts extending upwardly from the base, and a top supported by the posts. A plurality of shelves are commonly supported by the vertical posts in any number of ways. Such display stands or shelving units are usually rectangular, and the shelves adapted to be used with the display stands are rectangular as well.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,016,765 and 3,788,242 disclose such display stands. In each of the display stands disclosed in these patents, a generally rectangular base has four members extending upwardly from the base, which members are used to support vertically oriented posts. Generally rectangular shelves may be supported by the posts at the desired heights. Similarly, the tops of each of the display stands disclosed in these patents have four members which are turned downwardly and inserted into the posts at the top of the display stand.
Each of the display stands disclosed in these patents is self-standing and is not adapted to be joined with other display stands in order to create a larger display stand. If more product is to be displayed, a second display stand must be purchased and placed adjacent to the first display stand. The display stands lack structure which would enable multiple display stands to be joined together to create a larger display stand or assembly.
In addition, such display stands are of a fixed width, length and height which cannot be modified or changed. Thus, if a merchant desires to display additional product above or beside the display stand, an additional display stand must be purchased and placed on top of or beside the existing display stand. Thus, the merchant has to pay for two or more display stands. Furthermore, if an additional display stand is placed on top of an existing display stand, the upper display stand may be unstable and may fall off the lower display stand.
Thus, a display stand which is modular in nature so that different modules may be secured to one another to create the desired structure is needed. With such a structure, modules may be placed on top of one another or connected to each other lengthwise or widthwise in order to create the desired display stand assembly.
Therefore it has been one objective of the present invention to provide a display stand module which may be quickly and easily joined to other display stand modules in order to create an attractive and useful display stand assembly.
It has further been an objective of the present invention to provide a display stand module which may be assembled from a limited number of similar components, reducing the cost of manufacturing.
It has been a further objective of the present invention to provide a display stand module which may be joined with other display stand modules in order to create a display stand assembly specifically configured for a unique environment.
Still another objective of the invention has been to create a multiple module display stand which utilizes components of one module as a common component of an adjacent module so that the total number of components in a multiple module display stand is minimized with a corresponding cost reduction.